Some very good posts above. My process is a little different in some respects. There is not one way that is right where every other way is wrong, just many different ways to do this.
I do not raise CX, mine are dual purpose. I butcher both males and females at an older age than you would for CX. I skin mine instead of pluck because my wife told me she wants them skinless. I butcher 40 to 45 chickens per year, starting in June when my February hatch grows enough to start and usually with my last batch in November as I get down to my winter flock.
Once I get set up it takes me about 15 minutes from when I kill one until I kill the next. Set-up and tear down takes a while. Don't worry about how long it takes you, you will find your own speed and process. For your first try I suggest just a very few to work the kinks out and see how you might make it more efficient.
I use the hatchet and stump method. After I kill one I gut it and take the legs and head off, then skin it. Then I part it out. I put the cooking pieces in one ice chest with ice water, the drumsticks, thighs, breasts, and wishbone. Then I put the back, neck, gizzard, heart, feet, and wings in another. I save the livers separately. At this point I kill the next chicken, then clean the butcher area as it is flapping around. I typically do 5 or 6 at a time.
I keep two buckets when butchering. I put stuff that I will bury in the garden or orchard. Think feathers, head, and such. I dig this hole the day before to save time the next day plus I'll be tired after butchering. The other gets the parts I feed back to the flock, the guts cut into 2" long pieces, gonads from the boys, and bits of fat and meat.
After the last chicken is in pieces I clean up. I bury the parts that get buried and feed the parts that the chickens get to them. I wash and spray everything down and rinse many things off in a weak bleach solution before putting them away.
Then I eat lunch.
After lunch I bag the parts that will become a meal in ziploc freezer bags. Two breasts, one wishbone, two thighs, and two drumsticks in each bag, balanced out as to size so each is pretty close to the same amount of meat. I also bag the other parts I'll use to make broth in freezer bags, basically one chicken parts in each bag. Then I freeze it all the same day. Funclucks makes a good point about not stacking them too thick. So mine are not aged before they are frozen but they are chilled.
I have a routine. I take a chicken out of the freezer on a Sunday, put it in the fridge to thaw and age, and cook it on a Thursday. Mine go through rigor mortis after they thaw but before they are cooked.
I bake mine, not fry or grill. I save any liquid left over after baking. I also save the bones after we eat the chicken. If you fry or grill you don't have any liquid to save but you can save the bones. I put the bones and liquid along with the back and such that I saved in a crock pot, fill it with water, herbs, and spices, and cook that on low overnight, usually around 20 hours. Strain that to remove the chunks and defat it. You will have excellent broth. Pick the meat off of the bones and out of the debris you strained out and you have excellent cooked meat for tacos, chicken salad, or soup. I often use that meat for sandwiches for my lunch.
One of my issues is freezer space as I have a garden and orchard that can fill it in season. I freeze a lot of tomatoes until I have enough to make a batch of sauce, veggies until I can make and can soup, or fruits and berries until I have enough for jams and jellies. I often have to can a batch of broth to make room for tomatoes or make a batch of jelly before I have enough freezer space to butcher chickens. Managing freezer space can be important.
@Creede this is my basic process. You will develop your own systems and methods. You will get better with practice. Just be flexible and ask questions.
Good luck!
I do not raise CX, mine are dual purpose. I butcher both males and females at an older age than you would for CX. I skin mine instead of pluck because my wife told me she wants them skinless. I butcher 40 to 45 chickens per year, starting in June when my February hatch grows enough to start and usually with my last batch in November as I get down to my winter flock.
Once I get set up it takes me about 15 minutes from when I kill one until I kill the next. Set-up and tear down takes a while. Don't worry about how long it takes you, you will find your own speed and process. For your first try I suggest just a very few to work the kinks out and see how you might make it more efficient.
I use the hatchet and stump method. After I kill one I gut it and take the legs and head off, then skin it. Then I part it out. I put the cooking pieces in one ice chest with ice water, the drumsticks, thighs, breasts, and wishbone. Then I put the back, neck, gizzard, heart, feet, and wings in another. I save the livers separately. At this point I kill the next chicken, then clean the butcher area as it is flapping around. I typically do 5 or 6 at a time.
I keep two buckets when butchering. I put stuff that I will bury in the garden or orchard. Think feathers, head, and such. I dig this hole the day before to save time the next day plus I'll be tired after butchering. The other gets the parts I feed back to the flock, the guts cut into 2" long pieces, gonads from the boys, and bits of fat and meat.
After the last chicken is in pieces I clean up. I bury the parts that get buried and feed the parts that the chickens get to them. I wash and spray everything down and rinse many things off in a weak bleach solution before putting them away.
Then I eat lunch.
After lunch I bag the parts that will become a meal in ziploc freezer bags. Two breasts, one wishbone, two thighs, and two drumsticks in each bag, balanced out as to size so each is pretty close to the same amount of meat. I also bag the other parts I'll use to make broth in freezer bags, basically one chicken parts in each bag. Then I freeze it all the same day. Funclucks makes a good point about not stacking them too thick. So mine are not aged before they are frozen but they are chilled.
I have a routine. I take a chicken out of the freezer on a Sunday, put it in the fridge to thaw and age, and cook it on a Thursday. Mine go through rigor mortis after they thaw but before they are cooked.
I bake mine, not fry or grill. I save any liquid left over after baking. I also save the bones after we eat the chicken. If you fry or grill you don't have any liquid to save but you can save the bones. I put the bones and liquid along with the back and such that I saved in a crock pot, fill it with water, herbs, and spices, and cook that on low overnight, usually around 20 hours. Strain that to remove the chunks and defat it. You will have excellent broth. Pick the meat off of the bones and out of the debris you strained out and you have excellent cooked meat for tacos, chicken salad, or soup. I often use that meat for sandwiches for my lunch.
One of my issues is freezer space as I have a garden and orchard that can fill it in season. I freeze a lot of tomatoes until I have enough to make a batch of sauce, veggies until I can make and can soup, or fruits and berries until I have enough for jams and jellies. I often have to can a batch of broth to make room for tomatoes or make a batch of jelly before I have enough freezer space to butcher chickens. Managing freezer space can be important.
@Creede this is my basic process. You will develop your own systems and methods. You will get better with practice. Just be flexible and ask questions.
Good luck!
